The Chula Vista-based district’s program, which offers day and night classes, is so popular that it has a waiting list to get in, said Ellen Baum, the classroom chef.

In Baum’s day class, which meets three times a week, students range in age from 18 to 78.

Some are looking to break into chef or cooking careers, while others see the class as a social opportunity.

Kim Sherrod received her certificate about a year ago but is still taking classes.

“I like it here,” she said. “It gets me out.”

Sherrod, 38, designs rubber stamps for arts and crafts from her home in San Diego.

In Baum’s class, about 90 percent of the time is spent cooking. Students have a say on menu items.

“People can gravitate toward what they like here,” she said.

Students who have trained in Baum’s class have gone on to work at King’s Fish House, the San Diego Convention Center and Hilton Hotels.

There are four adult schools in the Sweetwater school district that are geared toward completing a high school education or GED, preparing a work force and basic literacy — much like a continuing-education program at a community college.

The adult program is the largest in the county offered through a school district and one of the largest in the state. About 40,000 students took classes last year, said Ramon Leyba, director of the adult school program.

Class offerings span all of South County, from National City to San Ysidro and Imperial Beach.

“They provide literacy in the community that has a fall-over effect to families,” Leyba said.

Congress declared this week National Adult Education and Literacy Week, which the Sweetwater district highlighted with an assembly at its San Ysidro campus.